memory_alphafandomcom-20200223-history
Melora (episode)
An officer who normally lives in a low-gravity environment is temporarily assigned to the station; Dr. Bashir devises a cure that could rid her of her chair forever. Summary :"Medical log, stardate 47229.1. Chief O'Brien and I have been working overtime to prepare for the arrival of a new cartographer. Ensign Melora Pazlar is the first Elaysian to join Starfleet, and as such, requires special accomodations." Bashir and Dax are discussing Melora's situation while making last-minute adjustments to a wheelchair for her (notably, raising its height to get around some obstacles on the station). She comes from a low-gravity system and has always been fiercely independent, demanding a minimum of assistance and wanting to do everything she can herself. For example, she won't accept being transported to places the wheelchair can't get to; she'll walk (with the aid of crutches). Melora arrives, and proves to be a very caustic character, using sarcasm to keep others at bay. Julian and Dax escort her to her quarters, which have been equipped with low-grav equipment. She summarily dismisses them and closes the door. Meanwhile, Quark is closing a deal: selling 42 gold Rings of Paltriss to Ashrock for 199 bars of latinum when in walks an unwanted face: Quark's old business partner Fallit Kot, who's been in jail for many years and is now back to kill Quark. Melora shows up for her first meeting with Sisko to find Bashir and Dax already there. She's upset by this and explains that she's used to people trying to deal with "the Melora problem" but insists there is really no problem to deal with. She just wants to go survey the Gamma Quadrant. Sisko assigns Dax to go with Melora, over Melora's objections as she feels she can do it fine solo. Melora and Dax agree to meet the next morning and head out. Bashir shows up at Melora's quarters sometime later and confronts her about her sarcasm and habit of pushing people away. Melora reluctantly agrees that she does this, saying it's just easier this way and she doesn't want pity. Bashir asks her to dinner, and she eventually agrees to go with him to a Klingon restaurant. Quark tries to placate Kot by making his stay enjoyable, but Kot will have none of it... he's still out to kill Quark. The next morning, Dax shows up at Melora's quarters, but she's not there. Dax tracks her down to a cargo bay where Melora has had an accident and has fallen and can't get up. Dax takes her to the infirmary, where Bashir treats her and takes her back to her quarters. This time, Melora invites him in and shows him the wonders of low gravity. The two end up kissing..... The next day, Dax and Melora finally make it out to the Gamma quadrant, where they discuss long-distance relationships and whether or not romance can survive in Starfleet. Dax quickly catches on that Bashir has won Melora over. Back at the station, Odo has a little talk with Quark and then with Kot, telling him that, though neither Odo nor Kot likes Quark, Kot still cannot kill Quark. Bashir has been doing some research and believes he has found a "cure" for Melora's condition, a way for her to do what everybody else can do in standard gravity. The catch: she cannot go back to low-grav, including her homeworld. Melora agrees to this. The first few treatments are a great success. Kot catches up with Quark in his quarters, where Quark gives in and offers him 199 bars of latinum in exchange for his life. Kot says that'll do, for a start. Kot accompanies Quark to the final sale of the rings and shoots Ashrock, taking the money and the rings and fleeing with Quark. Melora, though, has been having second thoughts about the treatments and never being able to go home. Is independence worth this? After discussing it with Dax in the Gamma quadrant, she thinks not and prepares to tell Bashir. As they are disembarking, they are grabbed by Kot and Quark, who are fleeing security, and forced back into the runabout. DS9 grabs the runabout in a tractor beam and Kot tells Sisko to let them go or a hostage will die. Sisko refuses, Kot shoots Melora, and Sisko lets them go. They head out into the Gamma quadrant pursued by Sisko and O'Brien in another runabout. Melora, though, boosted by the effects of the treatment, survives the phaser blast and turns off gravity in the runabout. In the new environment, she is able to overpower Kot, and by the time Sisko and O'Brien arrive on the scene, everything is under control. On returning to the station, Melora tells Bashir of her decision. He is disappointed and says that she can always change her mind. She tells him she probably won't change her mind, and that maybe complete independence is overrated. Background Information * Referenced Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: #16 * The character of Melora Pazlar was initially to be Deep Space 9's science officer because the producers liked the idea of a character who came from a low-gravity environment, but this was changed to the Trill Jadzia Dax, as it would lead to fewer complications. * Don Stark later appears in Star Trek: First Contact as Nicky the Nose. * After Bashir and Melora have left the Klingon restaurant, two Pakleds step up to the counter. * It's unclear how a low-gravity planet could sustain a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere. Planets with low gravity typically have thin or non-existant atmospheres, yet Melora seems to breathe the same air as other species on DS9. Furthemore, Melora's room on DS9 seems to be set to zero gravity, which clearly would be impossible on any planet of significant mass. Links and References Guest Stars *Daphne Ashbrook as Melora Pazlar *Peter Crombie as Fallit Kot *Don Stark as Ashrock Co-Star *Ron Taylor as Klingon Chef References Danube class; Delvok; Elaysians; Invernia II; Invernian herb; ionic storm; Lothra; Nathaniel Terros; zilm'kach; ''USS Orinoco''; Romulan ale; Wheelchair; Paltriss; Rings of Paltriss; tennis; Vak clover soup; Yridian External links * Category:DS9 episodes de:Das Melora-Problem es:Melora nl:Melora